Gas sensors capable of detecting the presence and/or concentration level of various gases are used in may applications, and the number of such applications is increasing as the ability to detect various gases increases and as the application of these sensors is shown to have an increasing role in how gases form, react, and affect the environment.
As one non-limiting example, gas sensors have been used to detect the presence of vapors produced by contamination from fuel products, such as gasoline, diesel, or other fuel products. Such contamination may arise, for example, from a spill or leak of fuel. The types of gases known sensors have been able to detect, however, have been limited. For example, known sensors have not been able to detect vapors produced by leaks of diesel fuels. Indeed, known gas sensors have been configured to detect the presence of vapors produced by gasoline but generally have not been able to detect heavier vapors (e.g., hydrocarbons) produced by other types of fuels such as diesel. Although not so limited, the present invention may be configured to detect hydrocarbons and other vapors indicative of diesel and fuels other than gasoline. The present invention may also provide the ability to detect a plurality of different gases in a compact, portable sensor, although the invention is not so limited.